Louisville Water installs a 15-ton giant beneath Frankfort Avenue

Watch video of crews placing 60-inch valve

Louisville Water buried a colossal piece of infrastructure deep beneath the ground. What was it? A giant valve — it’s part of a yearlong water main replacement project on Frankfort Avenue. The goal is to not see the valve for another 100 years.

The 60-inch valve weighs nearly 30,000 pounds, which is about the same as seven Ford F-150 pick-up trucks. This 15-ton giant is like an underground traffic light. It controls the direction of water in the main and can be used to turn the water off, as well.

In this video, see crews installing the valve earlier this month.

“I’ve worked here for over 30 years, and this is one of the biggest valves we’ve put in,” said Louisville Water Inspector Tony Gathof. “It takes lots of patience and skill to lift something this big into the air, place it in a deep pit, and line it up exactly where it needs to go. It will be in the ground and working a lot longer than me!”

Louisville Water expects the infrastructure it puts in the ground to last for at least 100 years. Crews will put eight of these large valves along Frankfort Avenue to help move water in and out of the Crescent Hill Water Treatment Plant.

More on the Frankfort Avenue Main Replacement Project

Construction began in August to replace critical water mains near Louisville Water’s Crescent Hill Water Treatment Plant. The $13.2 million investment includes work on Frankfort, Stilz, and Reservoir Avenues and ensures the continued delivery of reliable service and the company’s high-quality drinking water, Louisville Pure Tap™. Customers will not lose water service during construction. For the latest information on the project, visit LouisvilleWater.com/Frankfort-Project.

Please note: Frankfort Avenue restaurants and businesses are open during construction.